Electric machine.



c. F. KETTERING. ELECTRIC MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY-Z4, 1912.

Patented July 11, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

m gum? mfnesse W C. F. KETTERING.

ELECTRIC MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1912- Patented July 11, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. A ZZorn eys Be it known that I, CHARLES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. KETTERING, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE DAYTON ENGINEERING LABORATORIES CO., A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

ELECTRIC. 1VIACHINE.

T all' chom it may concern F. Kii'rrnn- ING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, county of Montgomery, and State of. Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in timing and distributing devicesfor lgnition systems. 1

--It has been customary heretofore to have a combined timer and distributer for such systems, wherein the timer and distributer are rotated together by a common operating means, the timer intermittently opening and closing the primary circuit of the ignition system, and the distributer serving to distribute the secondary currents to the proper cylinders of the engine, where this ignition system is used in explosive engines, as is well'known in the art.

In my previous applications,.filed June 3, 1910, Serial No. 564,737, and filed Nov. 14, 1910, Serial No. 592,291, I have shown a combined timer and distributer, wherein the main driving element consists in a central driving shaft. Surrounding this central driving shaft in said other applications, I utilized a sleeve which-was termed the distributer shaft and tothis sleeve made fast the timer camand the rotor of the distributer. Then the central driving shaft was suitably connected to the surrounding sleeve, so that the sleeve would be driven through the medium of the central driving shaft. Then, in order to secure the well known result of advancing the spark in such devices. means were provided as shown in said applications, for producing a relative movement or rotation between the central driving shaft and, its surrounding sleeve. T e characteristics of said former applicatio s, :so far as 'concernsthe comparison with the .presentsystem, are the central driving shaft which was'connected to suitable engine driven pinions. In this way, .the distributer device was adapted to especially in the well known construction of the Cadillac car at the present time, and

one of the features of said construction is that the central driving shaft has its own Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 11, 1916.

bearings, thus being provided for in the engine structure.

Now, one of the disadvantages of the former construction referred to, is the necess sity of having a central driving shaft provided for and mounted in suitable bearings for proper alinement, to receive the distributer device, when the same is mounted ,thereon. And moreover, this would naturally result in thenecessity of driving said device from one end, so as to preclude the possibility of driving from the side of the distributer device, or from any shaft which is positioned at an angle to the central driving shaft or its surrounding sleeve.

I have found that in certain 'constructions, it may be desirable to drive from the side, as just explained, and also that it may be desirable to. have the driving device self contained in the distributer or timer. casing, that is, so as to have the bearings properly self-contained within the distributer and not to be dependent upon any such alinement with the 'fixed central driving shaft, as above explained.

Therefore, itis a purpose of the present invention to provide such a mechanism for driving the timer and distributer from the side and having bearings self contained, so as to produce'what might be called a self contained-driving-timer and distributer. To bring about this result, I have arranged to drive the distributer directly through the medium of this surrounding sleeve which is properly geared up to any shaft entering the distributer from the side. Then this surrounding sleeve is suitably connected to an internal shaft so as to rotate the latter;

and to this internal shaft, is connected the timer cam and the rotor of the distributer. This is, in away, a reversal of the mode of construction shown in my aforesaid former applications, and it has the new and improved results above mentioned and as will be appreciated more in detail, in following out the construction, use and the advantages which will occur to those-familiar with the art.

Another object and one whichis ancillary to the above, is to have a combined housing or casing for an electric machine, such as a generator and the timer and distributer, so that said electric generator may have its driving shaft extended directly into the in-. terior of the distributer, so as to 'drive the latter from the side, as explained, While the housing referred to, covers both the generator and the operative parts of the distributer, under one inclosing housing or casing. This makes a compact construction" and forms a convenient and advantageous support for the distributer, in connection with securing the proper driving of the same. r Having thus explained the general objects of the present invention and the more ma-- terial differences from my former applications, I will now describe in detail the preferred form of embodiment of these improvements, having reference to the accompanying drawings.

' nltion timing .and distributing mechanism isshown as being combined with an electric generator which is driven by any suitable connection with the prime mover or engine; this generator in turn being employed to drive the timer and distributer mechanism. This preferred form of embodiment of the present invention will clearly illustrate the advantages, in certain cases, of the present invention, over that embodied in my heretofore mentioned co-pending application, filed June 3, 1910, Serial No. 564,737. These differences and advantages will be apparent as the description progresses. I

The numeral 20 indicates an electric generator which is provided with the usual complement of pole pieces and field windings (not shown). The armature shaft 21, car rying the armature windings 22, is journaled at one end, in a bearing formed in the end housing 23. This end of. the shaft 21 projects outwardly beyond the end housing 23, whereby any suitable driving connection may be made witlnthe internal combustion engine or other prime mover in use. The

opposite end housing 24 has an opening within which is mounted the bearing member 25, which in. turn supports the opposite end of the armature shaft21. This end of the shaft 21 isextended into the chamber 26 of the end housing 24 and. has a beveled pinion 27 mounted thereon. The chamber 26 contains and supports the ignition timing and distributingmechanism, as well as the driving element27, carried by the armature shaft 21. This structure results in what may .be termed a self contained ignition timer and distributer. This timing and distributing mechanism comprises a hollow driving shaft or sleeve 28, which is rotatably mounted in the ball or roller bearings 46, secured in the openings formed in the upper "and lower walls of the chamber 261 Adjacent to the upper 'end of the shaft 28, a beveled pinion 29 is'mounted and is held in fixed relation thereto, by means of the gib or key30. This beveled pinion 29 is so positioned that it will engage and mesh with the dr1v1ngp1nion27, carried by the armature shaft. In the drawin s: 1* i ure his a side eleva t: b

It will, of course, be understood that the gear ratio between the pinion carried by the armature shaft and the pinion or gear wheel secured to the shaft28, will be properly proportioned, so as to-operate the timer and distributer mechanism in proper cycle, and at the proper rate of speed, relative to the speed of the engine. I

A collar '31 loosely surrounds the sleeve 28, and is formed with an annular groove 32,

into which groove, project rollers 33, carrled by the yoke arm 34. Th s yoke may be called the advanceyoke, since it is operated to advance or retard the spark, as is cus tomary in mechanisms of this sort. The said collar 31, has extending centrally through it, a pin 35, (see Fig. 4), which passes through a spiral slot 36, formed in the hollow shaft or sleeve28, and also through the straight slot 37, which is formed 'i-nthe timer. and distributer shaft 38, which in turn fits within the hollow shaft 28.

Referring to Fig. 4, it will be seen that the'pin 35 is formed with cylindrical end portions 35 and a square intermediate portion 36. The straight slot 37 formed in the distributer shaft 38, has an enlargement as at 37, to permit the passage of the cylindrical ends of the pin'35, therethrough, so

as to facilitate the assembling of the shafts 2 and 38. together with the collar 31 and pin The distributer shaft '38 extends upwardly beyond the termination of the driving shaft 28, and adjacent to the upper end' thereof, has the timer cam 39 secured thereto. The extreme upper end of this shaft 40 has a driving connection with the rotor 41 of the distributer 42. It will. thus be seen that by the operation or swinging of the yoke arm 34 the cross pin 35, moving through the spiral slot 36, in the driving member, will cause a further movement of the timeror distributer shaft 38, in which ever direction is desired, either to advance or retard the movement of the timercam, relative to its normal rotation, ir smuch-as the pin 35 passes through the straight slot formed in the shaft 38. By 'advancingand retarding the movement of the timer cam will also be varied with the result that the time ofoccurrence'of the spark in the engine will be varied accordingly. The shaft or sleeve 28, carries suitable roller bearings 46, at its upper and lower ends, each of said bearings'being provided with a supporting flange 47,which engages with the walls of the chamber 26, in such amanner that by applying the nut 50 to the screw threadedlower extremity of the shaft 28, the bearing members together with the shaft 28, will be securely held in place.

From the above description, it will be seen that it would be practically impossible to combine. the timing. and distributing mechanism embodied in my co-pending. ap-

plication, heretofore mentioned, wlth a driving mechanism of the characterheretofore described, inasmuch as the shaft or ele-' ment which carries the timer cam and rotor of the distributer, is, in my co-pending ap-. plication, the outer sleeve or shaft 28. If this were the case in the present instance, it willbe seen that it would be impossible to advance or retard the spark, by any relative -movement between the element which carries the timing cam and rotor of the distributer, inasmuch as this outer shaft-28, carries the beveled pinion 29, which meshes with and is driven by the pinion 27, secured to the armature-shaft.

By referring to Fig. 3, it will .be seen that the driving mechanism for the timing and distributing apparatus, together with. the meansfor efi'ecting the advance and retard of the time of occurrence of the-spark, is

contained, as heretofore stated, within the chamber 26, formed in the end housing-24.

" which is substantially the same as that shown and described'in'my co-pending applications, filed June 3, 1910, Serial No. 564,737, and filed November 14, 1910, Serial No. 592,291, hereinbefore referred. to. In-

asmuch as it is-desirable to provide a condenser for eliminating any tendency .of

sparking at the timer contacts 44 and 45,.a suitable condenser 53, is secured to the generator and forms a closure or cover for one timer contacts, but also forms a closure for the chamber 26.

From the above description of the pres ent invention, it will be seen that the mechanical elements of the ignitiontiming and distributing mechanism are contained and supported by the end housing of the electric necessary to remove the entire end housing of the' generator, in order tohave access to these;parts of the ignition system. Inasmuch as the distributer head 54, which carries the terminal caps 55, for receiving the wires of the secondary circuit of the ignition system, is removable from its support, which in the present instance comprises the flange portion 52, of the, end housing; there will be-no greater difliculty in removing the end housing,-in order to gain access to the interior of the generator, than as if the ignition system were not contained within this housing.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described. constitutes a pre ferred form of embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted,all coming within the scope of the claims which follow. What I claim is as follows:

1. In a distributer mechanism, the combination with a distributer device, and means for rotating the same, including elements constructed to connect the main driving mechanism from the side; an electric machine'having a driving shaft connected to said distributer driving means; and a housing covering both said electric machine'and said distributer and serving as a support' for said distributer, to" attach the latter to the side of the electric machine driving the same.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with an electric generator comprising an armature and shaft positioned at right angles to each other; of an ignition timing mechanism; of an end housing for the generator containing and supporting the tuning mechanism; and connections between the armature shaft and the timing mechanism for operating thetiming mechanism by'said shaft.

3. In a device of the character described, in combination with an electric generator having an armature and a shaft positioned at right angles relative to each other; an ignition timing mechanism; a cover for said generator, containing said ignition timing mechanism; driving connection between the armature shaft and the timing mechanism; and means contained within'the generator cover, operable to advance or retard the with a plurality of chambers adapted to contain the timing and distributing mechanism; and means for connecting said mechanism in driven relation relative to the electric machine.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

o. F. KETTERING.

Witnesses E. J. GRAAF, J. V. MoDo IALo. 

